Tefal FV4980 Smart Protect Steam Iron, No Burning, One Setting, 2600 W, White/Blue
One Setting for Easier and Faster Ironing
Worry-Free Ironing
With just one setting that lets you iron all types of fabric* safely, Tefal Smart Protect makes ironing easier and faster. Now you can iron everything from jeans to silk, one after the other, without adjusting any settings, sorting your ironing pile or worrying about burning.
*Ironable fabrics.
**Compared to other Tefal soleplates – external testing.
Fast and Effortless
Smart Protect also features Tefal’s Durilium Airglide soleplate. With 33%** more glide, this super-smooth soleplate makes ironing fast and effortless. At 2600W, it’s quick to heat up (which means less waiting around) and delivers a continuous steam output of up to 40g/min for quick and easy crease removal.
*Ironable fabrics.
**Compared to other Tefal soleplates – external testing.
At a glance
- One setting for easier and faster ironing
- 33% more glide** for effortless sessions
- 2600W for fast heat-up
- Up to 40g/min continuous steam
- Up to 180g/min steam boost
- Vertical steam function
- Anti-drip feature to help prevent staining
- Auto-off for safety
One Setting. No Burning
So easy to use, the Smart Protect Tefal steam iron lets you iron all ironable fabrics – from jeans to silk, and linen to cashmere – in one go, and in any order. It has just one temperature setting that’s both tough on denim and gentle on delicates, for quick crease removal with no risk of burning.
There’s no need for you to change any settings, wait for the temperature to adjust or sort your ironing pile by fabric type. So, you can get the job done more quickly, easily and safely than ever before.
More Power. Faster Results.
At 2600W, the Smart Protect steam iron heats up fast and powers through creases in no time. The continuous steam output of up to 40g/min softens fibres for easier crease removal, while a powerful 180g/min steam boost makes light work of even the heaviest creases. You can also use the steam boost for vertical steaming – great for ironing hanging garments or curtains with ease.
New Durilium Airglide Soleplate
33% More Glide for Effortless Ironing
Smart Protect features Tefal’s new Durilium Airglide soleplate, giving you 33% more glide** for fast and effortless ironing.
With active steam holes at the tip, on the sides and in the centre, the Durilium Airglide soleplate ensures maximum steam distribution for efficient ironing and excellent results.
**Compared to other Tefal soleplates – external testing
- 33% more glide for fast and effortless ironing
- More active steam holes for maximum steam distribution and efficient results
- Scratch resistant for lasting performance
- Precision tip for easy ironing between buttons and pleats
Essentials
| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
Prevents StainingSmart Protect has a built-in anti-drip feature to help prevent water from dripping and staining your clothes while you’re ironing. So, your freshly-washed clothes stay clean. | Saves EnergyIn addition to its normal setting, Smart Protect has an energy-saving ‘Eco Mode’***. Simply set the slider on ‘Eco Mode’ and you can cut energy use by up to 20% versus the normal setting. ***-20% compared with energy use at maximum output level. | Safety FirstNot sure if you turned the iron off? Worry not. The Smart Protect steam iron turns off automatically in 5 minutes if left on the soleplate or on its side, and in 8 minutes if left on its heel. | Repairable for 10 YearsTefal products are designed for low-cost and easy repair for 10 years. Parts will be delivered quickly to one of our 6500+ repair centres worldwide. |
 |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power | 2600W | 2600W | 2600W | 2400W |
| Steam Output | 0-50g/min | 0-50g/min | 0-40g/min | 0-50g/min |
| Steam Boost | 220g/min | 210g/min | 180g/min | 150g/min |
| Vertical Steam | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Anti-Scale Technology | Integrated anti-scale and anti-scale setting | Integrated anti-scale and anti-scale setting | Integrated anti-scale and anti-scale setting | Anti-scale setting |
| Soleplate Technology | Durilium Airglide Autoclean | Durilium Airglide Autoclean | Durilium Airglide | Durilium |
| Scratch Resistance (Out of 5*) | ***** | ***** | ***** | **** |
| Water Tank Capacity | 300ml | 300ml | 270ml | 270ml |
| Auto-Off | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Power Cord Length | 2m | 2m | 2m | 3m |
| Weight: | 1.3 kg |
| Dimensions: | 31 x 13 x 15 cm; 1.29 Kilograms |
| Brand: | Tefal |
| Model: | FV4980 |
| Colour: | White/Blue |
| Colour: | White/Blue |
This product is an excellent buy. No burning of clothes due to its auto setting and bought two of these over many years. Would definitely buy this again and again!
The best iron I’ve ever owned. I love it so much!
Great iron best I’ve ever had. Well worth the money. Irons well feels good to hold
I think it was opened before.
But for the moment it’s working really nice.
I had the same model before and it’s the best for me
What is not to love about this iron. no more burnt clothes, perfect ironing every time, can go from silk to denim in no time at all. very happy with this produc
This is the second iron like this that I’ve had. The previous one died of old age. I like the way you just fill it with tap water only and start ironing. No temperature control as somehow it knows the type of fabric you’re using.That’s probably why it’s called ‘Smart Protect’!
Very pleased excellent – great auto heat control – well made easy to use – lets just see if it stands up to a hardwater area – would recommend
Can’t believe how this works. Never used an iron before where I did not need to alter the temp settings. Very clever technology. It’s light to handle and glides well. The only down side is the flex is shorter than my old one, just iron from a higher socket. Love it.
The strange thing about this iron is that they’re isn’t a temperature control which took me a while to get used to but it works perfectly on all materials from lightweight polyester to heavy duty cottons!! As long as it’s got water for steam it works! So it’s plug in, fill up and go, couldn’t be any simpler! There’s no risk of burning or scorching, I love it! This is the second one of these irons I’ve purchased, the first one didn’t like being dropped on the floor!!
Cannot get the wrong temperature with this iron no need to change setting very good steam iron, great product that lasts
Just plug in and it will iron any material including silk beautifully
This is really smart iron! Absolutely must have! If you’re looking for a iron do not hesitate and buy this one!
It’s great as do not have to adjust heating settings ! The water does go down relatively quickly but not such a big deal tbh.
Definitely recommend
Super smart tech, no temperature dial and doesn’t burn any fabric and the auto shut-off very handy
This iron works on all materials without having to change temperatures. An absolutely fantastic iron. If there are any drawbacks to it it is that it uses water very quickly and you have to refill often, probably part of the design; and that the lead could do with being a meter longer.
All my other irons seem to mark up on the plate. This is going strong and still looks like new. Not sure what the plate is made from, but it looks different and perhaps the internal temperature control helps prevent clothes and dirt sticking to it? We’ve had it for a good 6 months now and I’m really happy with it. It seemed like a good price at the time and i can’t fault it so far.
Great iron for a guy. Works like a dream, great for shirts, doesnt need refilling. Not sure how automatic the trmp adjustment id through
Good quality, no burning or singeing. Plenty of steam and just the right weight to cut through creases.
The iron is nice and irons well just, The wire is much shorter than normal so can be difficult to use depending on where the socket it.
Does as it says. I hate ironing but this does make it easier for me!
Although I love the fact I don’t have to worry about the temperature anymore this iron is not drip free and it drinks water. I now use an indoor watering can instead of the standard little water holder I had from my previous iron as there was no water container with this new iron. Its easy to use but still needs to be used with care if water staining will affect your fabric.
Love this iron. No turning dials because of the fabric. So no more scorching clothes, especially delicates.
Gave wife a choice a new iron or get someone to do it.
She seems pleased enough
Tefal they are first class and this is very easy to use. Only groan is the flex it’s too short to secure with a grip with out something hanging off. When the warranty runs out I’ll take it apart and replace it with a longer one.
I do lots of weddings and such like and the covers, sashes, runners etc are of various materials including organza and silk. This is not the 1st time I have bought this iron it is terrific; I just wish it had a longer flex.
Great iron, no need to change the temperature which was the reason I bought it..does a good job . Pleased
A bit expensive for what it is but it does the job. It heats up to the right temperature depending on the fabric without you having to adjust a heating dial. Haven’t burnt anything yet, so far so good.
Takes creases out with ease, makes ironing a lot easier.
Love this iron. Simple and easy to use. If on steam needs refilling often.
Lightweight, irons easily. My last 2 Philips irons always left brown marks on clothes as I ironed & I ruined many school shirts so I was determined not to have another Philips. Never tried a Tefal iron before but I’d definitely have another.
A bit sceptical at first that it could do all fabrics without fiddling with temperature but very pleasantly surprised. It does what it said ‘on the tin’. Very happy. Would recommend.
Its is great not having heat settings and at first i was thinking would this be ok but we have not had any issues so far and we have had this for a few months now
I was a bit sceptical but it really is great. Never thought I would actually enjoy ironing
Fab iron – ironing is a breeze with this one. Thanks for quick delivery
After using Philips irons for a long time, I was happy to have something different to take over, and speaking just of the soleplate (which is where Philips excel) I can say that Tefal do too. The precision tip really is precision and the glide you get is excellent. The iron has a safety power-off mode of five minutes when left on the plate, a far cry from the irons of old which would’ve started a smoking mess in that time.
The build quality of the iron is very good, if slightly bulky. It looks okay though and the functions are easy to understand and learn how to use. I’ve had success with all the materials I’ve had to iron with this, and especially like the fact that you don’t have to tell it which material it’s on top of. So other than being slightly clumsy to hold sometimes and with a lead which is probably a few inches too short, I think this is a very good iron, and for the price I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Big fan of the plate on this Tefal iron. It glides so easily over all fabrics and after using it for a bit now it’s not prone to scratching, burnt fibres or clogging up around the steam vents. There’s also the appeal of the simple control without any need to worry about temperatures. The worry is that it wouldn’t cope with materials that need the higher heats but with good steam to help I haven’t had any problems so far. Another plus is the sturdy base which means that I no longer worry about an iron toppling off the board onto the floor.
The cable could be longer, it seems such a false economy to make it shorter than some people might need. And whilst the handle is comfortable for me it is quite chunky and so I think some with smaller hands might not appreciate longer ironing sessions. Mind you, who does?
I have been using this iron for over a week now and I am very impressed. The iron is very light and comfortable to use. It has good steam feature which works nicely being it a small iron. The iron has only one temperature setting which means the setting is fixed for all type of fabric. For a small iron it works well to reduce creases but it is not as good as a big steam iron in taking the bed sheet creases out.
Pros: Light, comfortable and beautiful
Cons: Steam not strong enough for cotton sheets
I’ve had no issues whatsoever so far, it’s light enough to be comfortable to use for long periods of time, the design is sleek, it’s easy to fill and you can use tap water which means you don’t need to buy distilled water unless you’re in a hard water area. The cable is fairly short but fine for me as we iron right by the wall socket. I’ve gone through an entire ironing pile using the steam on constant and it tackled through linen, silk nighties, cotton shirts and some lacy tops effortlessly, no burns, no scorching, it was easy, fast but using the steam constantly just meant I had to refill the water container half way through as it uses it up quicker but that was no problem.
Well worth the money considering the effortlessness of it all and the technology involved. Recommended for anyone, especially those with family members not keen on tackling iron due to being put off by standard iron settings!
Fantastic and makes ironing quick and easy!
This is a really fantastic iron. I just ironed a linen dress followed by a silk blouse and it somehow knew to change the temperature, no idea how, but the blouse didn’t get scorched. It powers off if not in use, which is a really great safety feature, and there’s an eco setting too, which apparently uses less electricity – though you can’t notice any difference in efficiency when you use it, which is impressive. It’s quite light for its size and I like the fact that it isn’t trying to look ‘male’ or ‘female’ (for god’s sake, it’s an iron). I’m docking a star for two things: the cord could be a bit longer (it’s just under 2m), and the open loop design of the stand doesn’t sit very well on the tilted metal plate of some traditional ironing boards (eg mine). But these are minor points. All in all a really clever iron.
It s(t)eems to work as described though I haven’t tested it on anything expensive .
In the end it’s an iron and if you are half paying attention to the fabric you don’t need “smart” features” but it’s nice to use and there’s a small amount of time saved through just being able to plough on – always a good thing with ironing.
Large but lightweight Smart iron that’s so simple to use because there aren’t any heat controls. ‘Smart’ technology means the iron remains at an optimum temperature whether you’re ironing denim, nylon or most other fabrics . You don’t have to think about it. The added extras are practical and useful; a water spray for stubborn creases, an easy fill water tank, eco mode for saving energy, an anti-drip feature and an automatic ‘off’ facility if the iron is left soleplate down or standing on its heel. I’m impressed with the soleplate because it’s smooth and nicely shaped which makes it fast and easy to run around tight spaces such as button holes. Nicely made, simple design and certainly takes some of the hassle out of ironing. My one ‘niggle’ is the short electrical cord that doesn’t reach the plug socket without an extension otherwise; happy to recommend.
This is a great iron as it has no temperature settings, apart from the eco or normal setting. There are also two options for water spray or steam. The iron itself works very well and glides along very easily, adjusting itself to different fabrics. Turbo steam works well and also the spray button. Deducting one star due to the wire being too short!
I really like using this iron, it is not to heavy and glides easily over the garments making it quick and easy ironing. Being light suits me as I get shoulder pain quite easily. It has a set temperature control so no need to keep changing between items and gives out a good dose of steam, it also has a steam boost for the extra hard creases or freshening up a jacket or trousers when your in a hurry..The trouble I find with some irons is the dripping, but not with this one, no drips at all, great.
I am really pleased with this iron as when the steam, easy glide sole plate and weight are combined it makes my ironing much faster and easier with no aching shoulder, great, it looks good to.
Anything thats makes ironing easier is great for me.
This Tefal iron certainly does that. With its own temperature control, there is no more chance of scorch marks on clothing, nor those horrible puckering of synthetic materials.
Fast to heat up, with a long enough cord, I cannot reallly find fault with this iron.
Not sure how this works out the fabric type, but the results are quite good. I did a whole range of ironing from bedsheets to jeans and all worked fine. My only niggle was that I had to fill the water container twice during the iron. This is not something I have experienced with other steam irons. The other down side is the the clothes need to be aired after as they remain damp.
The iron itself is light weight and easy to use.
The FV4980 iron is made by Tefal – a French company making their products in France. It doesn’t require a setting dial it just magically knows how hot to make the soleplate too iron the fabric that you’re ironing. It has a steam feature with three buttons – a slider that turns steam on and off, a turbo button that you use like a trigger (marked Boost on the button itself but described as turbo in the instruction leaflet) to increase the steam output and a spray button that you push with your thumb that sprays out the nozzle near the tip of the iron.
Ignoring the electrical cable, and when it isn’t full of water it weighs 1.23 KG which is fairly easy to handle. The 1.9 metres of electrical flex is rather on the short side and depending on how you have your ironing board set up you might need to use an extension cable, although in our laundry room it reaches just fine.
The colour scheme, mainly white with a semi-transparent white water reservoir, and three tones of blue plastic on top looks attractive – quite unlike the black, grey and dark purple irons that seem to be aimed more at men.
I like the safety and eco features of the FV4980 – it turns off when not used, saving electricity and making it safe, awakening if you move it again. And the normal > eco slider lets you save electricity by consuming less power, albeit that the instructions often refer to turning it to normal mode for things like vertical steam ironing.
The soleplate is nice, with a Durilium Airglide logo – I don’t think Durilium is anything but a made up word, but it certainly works so I’m not complaining.
You use normal tapwater, although the instructions suggest using a mixture of tap and distilled water if you’re in a hard water area and get a lot of deposits on your clothes.
Finally, when I was first handling the iron the steam on-off slider seemed a little wobbly, but it turns out that you remove this whole component to activate the descaling process.
In summary, I think it’s a nice iron – easy to use, not too heavy for a traditional iron design, fairly fast to use with 2600 Watts power consumption, it looks attractive and I really like the eco and safety features.
By the way – one thing I check with every product I test is how much single-use plastic is shipped with the product. This Tefal iron is fantastic, it comes in a simple well designed cardboard box and the only single-use plastic is the small metal and plastic tie that holds the electrical flex in place when shipping – good job Tefal!
This arrived just in time to replace our old iron which was repeatedly spitting over clothes and marking them (not Tefal). I have always considered Tefal to be well made products and this iron is well made and looks smart. It is a big advantage not to have to change the setting for different fabrics. It performed very well on a fine t-shirt and also on quite a dry pair of cotton trousers. Iron itself is quite lightweight but balances well when stood on its heel. Soleplate glides very easily across all fabrics. Cord could be a little bit longer. Price is slightly higher than the Philips irons which have comparable features.
To start off with is the fact that it is a ‘smart’ temperature iron in that there is no adjustment for you to make. This is generally achieved by higher continuous steam output. I would always favour this type of iron over one with the traditional temperature adjustment wheel.
Then we have a good soleplate. Called ‘Durilium Airglide’ by the marketing team, but that just translates to a nice smooth plate with good distribution of steam vents that are well milled and don’t cause any unnecessary friction on clothing. It seems relatively resilient against scratching too, so if you’re not the neatest of ironers this soleplate should stay the course without getting scratched by clumsy stretches over buttons and studs.
Safety auto-off is present and accounted for – something I firmly believe should be mandatory on all irons, just as seatbelts are mandatory in cars.
One thing I particularly like about Tefal irons is the overall iron design with the nice big stable heel. This is a design that I’ve seen other brands copy, as I’m pretty sure I saw Tefal have it first (I could be wrong though).
The power cord is an ok length, but would be nice if it were a bit longer to give you a bit more freedom as to where to place your board.
I would say the direct competitor to this iron is the Philips Powerlife 3925 which can currently be had on Amazon for 59 (at time of review) so it’s in the same ballpark as this Tefal and also offers the smart features that help make the ironing process go quicker.
I am able to go from silk nightdresses to heavy denim without any waste of precious time.
The iron was comfortable to hold and I do like the fact it is not very heavy to hold.
The only small gripe I have with this iron is due to the fact the actual electric cable was slightly shorter, therefore, care had to be taken when placing the ironing board etc. It was easily remedied using an extension lead.
Once again Tefal has produced a top quality electrical iron which provides great ironing power, and with the lightness of the product, I was able to iron my laundry without having to repeatedly change the temperature setting.
Tefal FV4980 Smart Protect Steam Iron is an iron I would happily recommend.
I really like this iron for several reasons.
As there is no temperature adjustment required, I can iron one garment after another without worrying about it being burnt.
It heats up remarkably quickly, with plenty of steam available.
The soleplate is very low friction reducing the effort required.
This is a great, compact steam iron. It’s main advantage is that you don’t have to keep changing the heat setting when ironing different materials: it just adjusts automatically so that you can iron silk, then linen, then denim, then cashmere – all on the same basic setting.
In use, it’s quiet and not too heavy; feels really solid and well made – not like a cheap steam iron that will give up the ghost after a few months. Definitely a great iron and worth paying that bit much more for.